The much anticipated announcement from the area’s top two recruits finally came Saturday when Monrovia High School’s Ellis McCarthy chose Cal and Muir’s Kevon Seymour chose USCduring the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Game televised live on NBC from San Antonio.

The announcement, though, is not official. Recruits will have to wait three weeks until they sign the dotted line on national signing day. Until then, expect rival schools to continue making a hard push.

McCarthy, a 6-foot-5, 311 pound defensive tackle, is a five-star recruit nationally ranked second at his position, and he’s the top recruit in the state. He is a two-time Star-News Defensive Player of the Year who helped Monrovia to its second consecutive CIF-Southern Section Mid-Valley Division championship.

McCarthy’s decision to pick Cal over USC and Oregon, as first reported by the Star-News, is one that the McCarthys will think through more carefully between now and signing day.

“Even though Cal has been chosen,” said McCarthy’s father, Ed, “the family will make sure this is the best decision for us.”

Ed also said the family has requested with Monrovia school officials that no recruiters visit McCarthy between now and then.

McCarthy earned rave reviews during practice leading up to the Army Bowl, won by the West, 24-12. Things got got testy in the third quarter after McCarthy announced his decision when he was ejected from the game after a tussle with Florida-bound offensive tackle DJ Humphries (6-5, 265), the result of frustration after continually being doubled-team.

Seymour won’t be mulling over his decision. When reached in San Antonio, Seymour said he’s set with USC and anxiously waits for signing day.

Seymour is a 6-foot, four-star recruit ranked ninth in the nation at cornerback. He had more than 30 Division I offers, with USC being the front runner since the Trojans offered a scholarship nearly two years ago. Seymour, who played six different positions for the Mustangs, said the recruiting process is over for him, and a big reason why was a strong relationship with USC assistant coach Kennedy Pola.

“Yes, I’m a Trojan,” Seymour said. “USC was ahead of everybody because the whole coaching staff cares. Coach Pola has been recruiting me. He’s like a dad to me. I’m like his son, and that’s how he treats me. I can tell he really cares about guys, and I have a really good relationship with coach Lane Kiffin.”

Matt Barkley’s announcement to return for his senior year at USC and the Trojans becoming bowl eligible next season was just gravy for Seymour, he said.

“That just came with the thoughts about why I chose USC,” he said.

Tairen Owens, Seymour’s teammate at Muir and childhood friend, also made some news Saturday. Owens, a three-star recruit who was the first recruit in the class of 2012 to commit to Washington, has decommitted and isnow heading to UCLA, according to Scout.com’s Brandon Huffman.

Owens said last month that he was in the process of talking with the Bruins after UCLA coach Jim Mora hired Washington defensive backs coach Demetrice Martin, who began making a push to bring his Washington recruits with him to UCLA.

Martin, a former Muir standout, has been successful on that front, which included getting Arcadia’s Taylor Lagace to flip from Washington to UCLA last month.

Miguel,
We gotta work on your investigative reporting!!!! Word on the street for a few days was Ellis was Cal bound & Kevon gave away the USC (Victory salute) pic with his Army All-American pics like 2 or 3 days ago on his Facebook wall. Tairen I found out last night too. Update the blog faster or get closer sources, lol. Congrats tho Miguel. Also Brandon Cox, Denzel Talifero, & G5 (the Monrovia junior LB) all went to the US Army Combine and did good. They respresented for the SGV. Brandon Cox caught alot of peoples eyes too.

Sidenote: Steven “JR” Mitchell another Pasadena kid (but he goes to Alemany, smh), went H.A.M in the Under Armor Combine & US Army combine. Congrats JR for repping Dena always tho.

Apache Joe

Congratulations to Myles Carr of Arcadia High School on his commitment to Stony Brook University where he will be playing quarterback and joining fellow SGV alum Myles Campbell of Muir.

Very proud of you Myles!

bigfatfan

tho McCarthy picked Cal, he parents said they still want him to think about it. can he hang at Cal with the academics. McCarthy also made news by getting tossed from the Army game for scuffling and fighting, saying he was upset he was getting double teamed. grow up, adapted and move on. you want the accolandes that come with stardom, then deal with the other team’s attempts to scheme you without whining about it. its football

New York

bigfatfan,
I saw that play in question on DVR. Ellis was driving in and it looked like he got his hands under the facemask of DJ Humphries and was driving Humphries back. He is regarded as the nation’s #1 offensive lineman. I’m not sure what then happened off camera. Maybe Humphries was pissed and rataliated and Ellis may have reacted. I’m not gonna make excuses because I did not see the whole thing.

I think he should seriously consider going to USC and playing for Monte Kiffen. Also, USC will have other studs on the defensive front that will command respect and free up Ellis. Ellis needs to learn to expect and beat double teams no matter where he plays. He was clearly bigger than most of the guys on the field yesterday, and that was the best of the best.

big mike

My thing is this Mc carthy and kevon seymour both started on a team whereas the best where chosen to participate, basically what im saying is the fishbowl produces some of the best athletes in the NATION.

big mike

One more thing in case anyone missed it Darick holmes Jr. made honorable mention for the maxprep freshmen all american teams. one thing is almost certain and thats Muir will have another U.S Army all american in the near future they might even have next year in denzel and Pasadena brandon cox might be there as well.

PacFan

The fight was over pancakes…two of them. But good job #41, It looked like Seymour Island out there.

Boys, it is so good to here that you two will be able to play in front of your people on a weekly basis. You are getting a chance to join two very distinguished programs. A note of caution; so have many others but they failed to heed the advice of those who truly care and gave back what they worked so hard for in an instance. We need you two to help others see that there is something to doing the right thing. Kevon you have been an outstanding student and have done everything that needs to be done by listening to those who want to help you meet your goals. So many do not recognize that most coaches do not care about their own goals but care about the ones of the student more. So congrats to you and Tairen with many successes still to come.

6power

McCarthy got the start and substantial playing time. I agree with NY, size wise he looked big and put together…no wonder he looked like the Godzilla of the RHL, when he still stands out amid studs from across the US.

He moved really well laterally but I did not see him get upfield much. I missed some of the 2nd quarter – but I saw very few plays run directly at Ellis – and obviously that was intentional. Maybe EM just got frustrated with being heavily enforced and never left alone – driven to the point of frustration because you know he wanted to make an impact in the game.
He shifted to the outside shoulder of the big ass OT and I thought he would mount a pass rush from there…but did not.
Getting tossed will be forgotten hopefully,
but the ejection is not a good thing anyway you look at it.

CounselorBrodi

This goes too Kevon, Tairen, Ellis, & Taylor

A word of advice continue to work hard & compete. You guys will all be at the bottom of the rung at ya’ll schools.

NOTHING will be given too you!!!! Everybody on ya’ll team are just as good if not better than you so you HAVE TO WORK HARD!!!! Be humble & learn & get bigger an stronger bcuz ya’ll will put a hurtting on you all. Everyone is a 3, 4, 5 star recruit.

What seperates you is how much u want it & much do u want to be GREAT!!!

Take this same work ethics on the field to the classroom & everything yall do!!!!

Much love & respect!!! Ya’ll represented the SGV very well this year!!!!

Great pick for Seymour…he’s following the footsteps of many great athletes from Pasadena i.e. Rick Irvin, S. McCullough, Mike and James Sanford, Barry Brooks, Charles Patton, Lennox and Inger Miller to name a few.

Although, USC has a ranking system that is not always friendly to talented freshman; adjusting to SC’s program is difficult and a lot is expected…to say the least – Barlett was an exception to the rule…I’m hoping that Seymour will prove that he is also. Looking forward to seeing him playing in the Rose Bowl…again!

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